Spurs grateful for opportunity to rest, recuperate

It was difficult to guess which the Spurs were more grateful for Wednesday after polishing Portland off in five games: Advancing to the Western Conference Finals for the third straight season, or earning at least four days off before that series starts.

Wednesday’s victory marked their 12th game in 25 days since the playoffs began. Not exactly four games in five nights in the middle of February. But still a demanding schedule for a team that counts four 30-year-olds among their nine-man rotation, including cornerstones Tim Duncan (38), Manu Ginobili (36) and Tony Parker (32 in two days). Particularly with the grind of having jumped right into an every-other-day schedule against Portland following a seven-game series with Dallas.

But the Spurs, who don’t practice until Saturday, can at least take a few days to regroup and recharge for what, at least on paper, promises to be a challenging series against either Oklahoma City or the Los Angeles Clippers.

“It’s great,” Manu Ginobili said after the Spurs crushed Portland 104-82 in Game 5. “We really needed this win for multiple reasons. First, because we didn’t want to get on the plane. It’s tough to play every other day so far against a younger team after a four-hour flight.”

And second, because the Spurs can rest point guard Tony Parker after he suffered a Grade I hamstring injury on Wednesday instead of either risking further injury or playing without their floor general altogether in extended action against the Blazers.

Officially listed as day-to-day, Parker will have either four or six days to rehab depending on whether the Clippers can force a seventh game tonight in their semifinal series with Oklahoma City. If so, the Spurs will be back in action on Wednesday against the winner. If not, the Spurs will host the Thunder on Monday in Game 1 in a rematch of the 2012 conference finals.

“We hope for him to be back and healthy,” Ginobili said. “If we want to have a chance to make it to the Finals, we need him healthy.”

With the exception of Parker, who shook off a sprained ankle in the opening series, the Spurs survived the first two rounds unscathed. While he recovers, the rest of the team will use a rare postseason practice session on Saturday to sharpen their game and maintain the polish that allowed them to roll past Portland in dominating fashion.

There’s always the chance an extended layoff might lead to rust. But given their age and recent schedule, the Spurs are more than happy to take that chance.